Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-09-01


about you. | wonder how it is"
"Through the kindness and goodness
of your own heart" said Mrs. Grey
calmly.
THAT can not be the reason
aughed the duchess. "They say that
some people have peculiar attraction
for each other, that must be the case
with US. | WONDER" she continued in
her pretty caressing manner,'if l attract
you as you attract me-"
IL should be almost afraid to say
was the quiet answer but the loving
heart was beating fast, the beautiful
eyes filling with tears.
IL want to help YOU" said the Ouch
ess. 81 want To be real friend to you
You say nothing could matte less than
your death; have you no friends, nc
one who loves your
Tears fell like rain drops down the
beautiful face,
mo. | am quite alone in the world"
should not know for whom TO send; no
one would miss me. Yet | have not
lived in vain"
"That must comfort you" said the
duchess
II made a grand sacrifice once. long
ago." she sald-shs was spe liking to
herself rather than the ducness-''and
it matters so little whether | live or
die"
at concerns me-" cried the duchess.
"As told you, you are rapidly be-
coming a great friend Of mine. i
should miss you most terribly. If af-
lection and care can keep you alive you
shall have them, but you must not
grow thin and pale after this fashion,
All, Heaven, how sweet it was TO be
loved and cared for, to hear slcn kindly
words, to see the anxious sympathy on
the lovely young face. She would
gladly have died at any time for such
happiness as this.
"Look at your hands," continued the
duchess, they are quite tran parent.
You have been work .ng too hard this
hot summer. You must rest"
"My work docs not hurt me, your
grace" she said piteou ly.
"Then what is it," ashed the duchess
kindly. "Trust me-tell me-"
All, If she could. From her heart a
wild cry roe to Heaven.
1T is more than en- BEAR" she
thought; "more than | can bear"
at is always pity to turn away
from friend, do you not think so:"
"Yes," she replied, who la turned
away from every friend and every hope
on earth.
"Then," said the duchess, with
charming persuasion, "why should you
turn from me.''
IL do NOT" she replied. with sudden
energy; Heaven knows L do not"
Then let me help you-help you to
grow strong and well, TO bear a great
sorrow, to make your life happier anu
brighter"
She held up her thin, white hands;
her gesture was one of grand despair.
~ GU can not" she said; 'my life Is
unlike all other lives, and in it there Is
no hope"
81 snail try, in spite of all you say, y
replied the duchess. "Wny should
you alone have no hope? have read
so often that hope is the last thing to
die in the human heart"
"It is dead in mine," said the
quiet voice.
''Then ahall make it live again.
said the ducness. Il can not think
how any one can be quite without hope
while the sun shines and the birds sing.
Even the very sight and smell oil the
flowers are enough to cheer the saddest
heart. You have worked too hard, and
the heat of the summer has oppressed
you. You are out Of health, depressed
in spirits, and am determined to
change it. l can not bear to think OF
you fading day by day, while tue
world is SO beautiful and life SO
sweet,
40 YOU" she murmured; thank
Heaven, TO you"
"And why not to you, granted that
you have had great sorrow! lit b.
that you have lost some one you love,
you will see them again in Heaven ii
you have lost money OF rank, that need
not spoil your life-there are other
things more precious. Ifyour sorrow
is that you have done anything wrong,
there is the great mercy and forgivness
of Heaven"
"You are the kindest of com fort rs.
more than all; but i am grateful to
you. l have not heard such kind
words since"
Since Darcy Este went away-since
he had kissed her by the Herons'
Pool-since the terrible morning when
all the sweetness and pain of her love
had come; the sweetness had gone. the
pain only was left.
She was looking blankly at tue
beautiful face with frightened eyes
and white lips. Since then! Great
Heaven! what words were they she
had been on the point of uttering!
She shuddered as one seized with NOR
tai cold.
"You see," said the duchess, .'you are
i'll"
"Ill." Why, the word seemed so
weak 1t was ridiculous; she was nearly
mad. The strain upon her nerves was
so great; it was literally more than
she could bear.
"You are too much Alone" said the
duchess. "Of couse you could not
make friends with the people about
you, but could nothing else be done?
Such utter solitude as yours would
make any one i'll. shall come again
tomorrow, and see IL we can not de-
wise some means for making you better.
You are so thin and so white, and your
eyes are losing all their light. Promise
me that you will do no more work to-
day? See, have brought you some
books. Go out into the fresh air. You
do not know how lovely the country Is
in the glow OF summer afternoon !!
Then read little. Will you promise
me?'
She would have promised anything
to those lovely, pleading eyes-any-
thing In the wide world. Then the
sunshine went out all at once as the
young duchess drove away.
What she said was true. Mrs. Grey
had fallen into a delicate state Of
health. She had not thought of herself.
had not noticed that she was growing
so thin and white, that she had hardly